Given the compressed calendar, the early start to Campaign ’08 was not only inevitable, it is welcome. The candidates almost have to engage in repeated appearances before the new and old media, prepared to answer all questions and to accept most serious debate invitations. Trying to run a front porch campaign when the gun announcing the start of the sprint has already gone off not only mixes metaphors, it nixes chances. The public that is interested will get its fill. Those that aren’t have an endless set of choices in which to invest their attention span.